


Afterlife Feels Empty Without You

by IllusiveSoul



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Bonding, Christmas, Emotions, Explicit Language, F/F, Fluff, Gift Exchange, Gift Fic, Post-Canon, Romance, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 02:06:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13090146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllusiveSoul/pseuds/IllusiveSoul
Summary: Shepard and Aria have an argument and take care of an old annoyance during Christmas.This is a secret Santa gift fic, and my first time writing Shepard x AriaHope you enjoy





	Afterlife Feels Empty Without You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fiftyshadesofgreywarden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiftyshadesofgreywarden/gifts).



The bass thundered across the walls and floors of the club, vibrations filling the air as the neon lights and the glow from the flames displayed in the monitors lit up the area. The crowds, made up in large part of humans, turians, asari and batarians, filled the different floors of Afterlife. The central area was filled with the usual Asari and Human dancers-the later had begun arriving in greater numbers to the club over the past 2 months, which had a sparked a mostly “friendly” competition with their Asari counterparts, much to the enjoyment of the customers.

On the so called “throne area”, from where the Queen of Omega would usually watch over her domain, a single human was sitting on the large couch. From the distance, she wasn't that much different from the hundreds of humans that filled the nightclub. But as you got closer, the large and in some places grotesque glowing orange scars that went through her face and body left little doubt about who she was.

Shepard lowered the datapad she was observing and took a drag from a large cigar, blowing the smoke in the direction of one of the Batarian bodyguards. A few months ago, that would have most likely started a fight, which the Batarian would have lost. But now, bad glares where all that any of them dare to give to Omega’s second ruler.

The clinking sound of heels over the metallic floor made the former Commander look towards the stairs that led to the podium. The guards straightening their posture and the dancers increasing the tempo of their movements meant only one thing. The Queen had arrived.

“You're here early” Aria said as she walked without acknowledging the presence of anyone in the area, focusing on the one person she cared about as she dropped into the couch.

“You took your time. You should have been here 5 hours ago” Shepard replied, giving the Asari an annoyed look.

“I come whenever I damn please. Besides I had a little… incident” Aria rubbed the sides of with her hands, trying to alleviate some of the pain in her head.

In a swift move, Shepard took hold of the Asari’s face, carefully turning it to the side. Softly wiping a small trickle of purple blood from her forehead before applying the medigel, Shepard smiled as Aria leaned into the touch, joy momentarily replacing the anger that coursed through the Commander's body.

“Who the hell did this ? Vosque ?”

Aria nodded as she straightened her posture and removed Shepard’s hand from her face and placing them on the couch, not letting go of them as she replied.

“A group of Blue Suns assholes jumped me earlier today. A Batarian and a couple of Turians. They gave me a few scratches”

“ Are these assholes still with us ?”

Aria let out a short laugh “What do you think, Shepard ?”

“Have you dealt with Vosque or do you want me to take care of him ?”

“I was on my way to deal with him. I just stopped by to get patched up and grab a… a quick drink” Aria looked towards the dancers around her.

“You. Come here”

As the Maiden approached her, Aria’s eyes were focused on the outfit she wore. Her usual black latex attire had been replaced by a short red top and skirt that showed more than they covered, with puffy white borders on the ends of both pieces of clothing. On her head rested a  shaped hat with the same colors as the rest of the outfit, a tiny metallic ball making a tinging sound as she moved.

“What is this ? What are you wearing ?” Aria said as she touched the suit, which had a wooly, soft feeling.

“The Commander gave these outfits to us. She requested that we wore them for the day”

Aria turned around and looked towards the stage. She just noticed how all the dancers in the club were wearing the same attire.

“Care to explain what the fuck are my dancers wearing, and why the hell did you think you can do this without asking me ?” the Asari spoke in a cold, calculated tone. Her expression would have scared most people, but the only reaction it provoked on Shepard was a smile.

“On Earth time, it's December 24th, Aria” Shepard replied as she puffed out her cigar “It's Christmas”

“What the hell is ‘Christmas’, and what does it have to do with dressing my dancers like… this” Aria threw a disgusted glance at the young Asari “Is this some sort of human joke that we Asari don't get ? Because I'm not fucking laughing, Shepard”

“The customers haven't complained” Shepard replied as she ran a hand through her short red hair, giving Aria a tempting look.

“It's true” the dancer replied as she let out an almost childish laugh “This Turian told me that he really liked it, and that he hoped that we would wear it again. Oh, and this Hanar that asked for a private dance did…”

“I've heard enough” Aria interrupted her and waved the dancer off, not wanting to know about anything related to Hanar intimacy. Focusing once more on the human to her side, Aria spoke in her usual, “take shit from no one” tone “Don't do shit like this without asking me first, Shepard. Understood ?”

“Oh, my. That sounded serious” Shepard chuckled “I wouldn't want to bring the fury of the Queen down on me. I've heard her punishments are… quite severe” Shepard finished talking with a blink.

Aria rolled her eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh as she stood up“Fuck this. I'm off. Darner Vosque and my gun have a date”

“Wait” Shepard took Aria’s hands, stopping her cold “First, you're not going alone. You're in no shape to take him and his gooks on your own” Standing up, Shepard grabbed a box that laid next to the couch “Second, i got you something that's slightly bigger than a gun. Merry Christmas”

Opening the metallic container, Shepard took one of the 2 weapons and handed it over to the Asari, taking the other for herself. The large, tubular weapon had a glowing radioactive sign on it, and it emitted small amounts of heat near the handles.

“Huh. I've never used one of these before”

“Well, there's a first time for everything” Extending her arm towards the door, Shepard smiled “After you, _my Queen_ ”

“I wish I had never told you that when we first met” Aria replied as the door opened and the 2 women walked into the streets of Omega.

  
  


**2 hours later**

Shepard waited for her gun to cool down before holstering it, keeping her eyes focused on the small structure in front of her.

Aria wiped some of the dirt and blood from her suit, walking among the dozens of Blue Suns bodies that littered the warehouse area. Moving next to Shepard, her biotics died down as she looked at her.

“You're bleeding”

“I know, it's nothing” Shepard replied.

“That's a lot of blood running down your forehead. It's not ‘nothing’ “ Aria said as she grabbed her face carefully, wiping the blood from her face before applying a medium dose of medigel. The Asari moved her hands up, kneading Shepard’s red hair in a smooth and soothing manner. The Commander let out a deep breath as she leaned into the touch, the adrenaline rush from the battle fading away as her mind and body relaxed.

“Didn't think you cared if something happened to me, Aria”

The Asari grabbed her hands with both hands, forcing her to open her eyes, emerald green meeting light purple.

“Look at me. I care more than you know. A part of me hates you so fucking much…” the Asari softly brushed the human's cheek with her thumb “...because you've made it really difficult to imagine my life if you're not in it. In fact, I can't imagine it, Shepard”

“Never thought I'd hear that from you” Shepard smiled, fighting to hold back the tears.

“Afterlife feels empty without you, Shepard” Lifting her Cain and looking at the small cabin where the Blue Suns leader had holed up, Aria spoke in a cold, determined tone “Now, let’s fry this asshole. Ready ?”

Shepard nodded, her eyes glowing as the 2 Cains loaded up their charges.

“A’sht y’uthj, Vosque”

_“Burn in hell, Vosque”_ Shepard said in English, translating the Asari phrase spoken by Aria.

The charges fired. The wave of heat showered them as the mushroom shaped cloud shined brightly for a brief few moments where the cabin had stood, pieces of charred metal flying in all directions as the intense fires continued to ravage the small area.

Bedazzled by the explosion, Shepard’s eyes opened widely as she was turned around and locked in a deep kiss by Omega’s self proclaimed CEO, who melded with her shortly after. The kiss had the same energy as the one they had shared after retaking Omega. But with it, Aria said more than she could ever do with words. The torrent of emotions that flowed through the meld made Shepard think about what it truly meant.

It had been Aria who had taken care of her after the war. It had been Aria who had protected her from the Alliance, the remnants of Cerberus and all who had tried to harm her. And it had been Aria who had taken her into her domain, treating not with pity or disdain, but as an equal. That had meant more to Shepard that what Aria might imagine. And for the first time, Shepard felt… love. If there was ever any doubt that the feeling was mutual, the kiss and meld had made everything clear.

_“It's the first time I've ever ‘celebrated” it, but I think it might become one of my favorite holidays. Merry Christmas, Shepard”_ Aria said through the meld.

_“This is usually done under a mistletoe, but nothing it's ever as it should be with you. And I'm Ok with that”_ Shepard smiled as she wrapped the Asari in a tight embrace, which the Asari returned with an even tighter hug of her own as she laughed _“Merry Christmas, Aria”_

Shepard wanted to say ‘I love you’, but she and Aria had never been ones to state the obvious


End file.
